My diagnosis with Parkinson's Disease in September 2009 at age 80 gave my life a new focus and challenge. Finding ways to meet this challenge helped make 2010 the best year of my life. I hope this blog will be a place where I can connect with others who also are dealing with aging and its afflictions and attractions so that we can share our "experience, strength and hope."

May 8, 2012

New Procedure Extends Life Slightly for Mice with Degenerative Brain Disorders

The internet buzzes quietly with new information about a rodent study that may have implications – way down the road – for people with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. As is most often the case, findings are preliminary, and based only on studies with mice.

Published on May 6, 2012 in the online journal Nature, the study describes a new and apparently successful protein therapy for mice with prion disease. Prions are transmissible pathogens that cause neuro-degenerative diseases in animals… and humans.

Here’s what happens to affected mice: proteins begin building up in the brain – like plaques – in unnatural, “folded” ways. As the faulty proteins accumulated – endangering the healthy operation of the brain – the rodents’ defense systems triggered a response to shut off the creation of new proteins. This action halted the accretion of new, misshapen proteins – a good thing -- but it also shut off the creation of proteins generally, which the mice brains needed to function normally. As a result, the rodents experienced neuro-degeneration: the irreversible death of brain cells – ultimately a fatal condition.

Researchers discovered that they could “reboot” protein creation by injecting the mice with a new protein. Prions continued to accumulate, but new protein creation extended the life of treated mice. This new procedure did not cure diseased mice, and in fact only extended their lives a week longer than untreated mice.

Still, it’s a start. Giovanna Mallucci, the research leader at Leicester University in England, said their results might provide a "way forward in how we treat other disorders," like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Said Bristol University professor Andy Randall:

This is a fascinating piece of work. It will be interesting to see if similar processes occur in some of the common diseases with such deposits, for example Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, if this is the case, can modulating this same pathway be a route to new therapeutic approaches in these more prevalent conditions that afflict many millions of sufferers around the world? Ultimately only more research will tell us this.

Dr Eric Karran, the director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, added the usual cautionary note:

The findings present the appealing concept that one treatment could have benefits for a range of different diseases; however the idea is in its early stages. The research focuses on the effects of the prion protein and we would need to see the same results confirmed in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to really strengthen the evidence.

A Healthline Best!

“John Schappi was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2009, at age 80. We love John’s blog because it’s about living life to the fullest — whether that means traveling, going to the ballet, or celebrating the friendships he’s made through Alcoholics Anonymous. He also talks about what products he uses to deal with the side effects of Parkinson’s, such as insomnia, and shares and discusses helpful blog posts and information.” -- Healthline